In the November Home Maintenance post a few weeks ago, one of the things we recommended you do this month is flush your hot water tank and remove any sediment build-up. If you’ve never done this before, it seems like a daunting task. However, This Old House’s Richard Trethewey shows you exactly how to do this task in their helpful how-to video. The task should take about 15 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how much sediment is in the tank, and it’s an easy task to complete. Click on the image below to view the video:

The steps are basic, with only a few pieces of equipment required:

Turn off the electricity and water to the tank, allowing it to cool completely.

Drain the water into a bucket using a garden hose and a pump.

Inspect the water in the bucket to see how much sediment is in the water.

If the water is filled with sediment, refill the heater and drain it again, repeating until the water runs clear.